Fun Facts About the Name Starling
- More than 1 thousand babies named Starling: U.S. records list 1,225 babies given the name Starling from 1880 through 2025. Even 225 girls received the name Starling - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.
What Does the Name Starling Mean?
Starling is an English name taken from the starling, a type of songbird. The word goes back to Old English stærlinc, a formation from stær, the Old English bird name, with the suffix -linc. That suffix is diminutive, so the older word can be analyzed as something like "little starling," though it served as the ordinary name of the bird rather than a description of size. The personal name has no separate abstract meaning; its sense is the bird itself.
Starling Name History & Origins
The bird name is recorded in Old English as stærlinc, with Middle English forms such as starling developing into the modern word. The English surname Starling comes from this bird word, generally as a nickname: a person might have been called after the bird itself or after some perceived resemblance to it. The exact reason behind any one family's nickname is usually unknown. The surname was carried abroad by English-speaking migrants.
As a first name, Starling follows the English practice of using surnames and nature words as given names. In either case, it points back to the bird rather than to a traditional saint's legend or a separate inherited meaning.
How Popular is the Name Starling?
Starling recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1920. Its best rank was #774 in 1908.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,806 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #14,995 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #6,635 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #11,129 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #8,908 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #8,350 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2019 | #10,389 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #15,442 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #11,509 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #18,543 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,421 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #10,067 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #16,299 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #13,327 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #13,208 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #13,317 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #19,839 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #15,203 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #13,669 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #10,141 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #15,285 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #11,703 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #10,370 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #8,115 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #7,386 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #6,408 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #6,006 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1941 | #5,003 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1930 | #4,501 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,753 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #10,730 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #6,459 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2021 | #11,940 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,828 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #13,864 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #9,545 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #13,979 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #8,641 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #13,789 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #10,627 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #11,997 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,211 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #14,325 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2006 | #13,745 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2005 | #8,977 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #12,073 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #8,104 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #9,494 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #5,858 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #8,660 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #8,560 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,293 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,986 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #7,786 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #4,416 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #4,445 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #7,143 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #6,948 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #4,123 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #5,510 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,798 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #3,660 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #4,919 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,326 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #4,661 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #3,894 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #4,086 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #3,203 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1964 | #3,566 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #3,607 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,984 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #2,690 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #3,936 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #2,183 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #2,250 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1955 | #3,172 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #2,427 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1953 | #2,692 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #3,074 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #2,357 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1950 | #2,190 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1949 | #1,932 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1948 | #2,596 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1947 | #1,843 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #2,020 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #1,846 | 15 | 0.0011% |
| 1944 | #2,613 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1943 | #2,063 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1942 | #2,918 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1941 | #3,104 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #1,976 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1939 | #2,428 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,628 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1937 | #1,818 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1936 | #2,600 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1935 | #2,511 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #1,848 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1933 | #1,894 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1932 | #1,840 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1931 | #3,363 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #1,952 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1929 | #2,575 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #3,053 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #2,183 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1926 | #3,115 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #1,928 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1924 | #2,210 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1923 | #2,013 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #2,029 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1921 | #1,973 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1920 | #1,497 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1919 | #1,962 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1918 | #2,383 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1917 | #1,747 | 19 | 0.0021% |
| 1916 | #1,691 | 19 | 0.0021% |
| 1915 | #1,957 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1914 | #2,087 | 11 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #2,770 | 6 | 0.0012% |
| 1912 | #1,870 | 9 | 0.0021% |
| 1911 | #1,370 | 8 | 0.0035% |
| 1910 | #1,564 | 6 | 0.0031% |
| 1909 | #1,259 | 7 | 0.0043% |
| 1908 | #774 | 13 | 0.0084% |
| 1902 | #1,297 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1897 | #932 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1896 | #1,253 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1889 | #962 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1886 | #1,090 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1885 | #828 | 7 | 0.0065% |
| 1881 | #853 | 6 | 0.0060% |
| 1880 | #1,043 | 5 | 0.0045% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Starling Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Starling's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Starling's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.